This topic

Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

gspearson — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:05:03 GMT

My boxes are now giving me a message that YouView support will end this month. More widely, most suppliers seem to be out of stock of all recorders. The info suggests that Freely will launch later this year but will not be recordable. This may mean that I need a fibre connection which BT cannot yet provide.

Does anyone know what is happening?

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Les-Gibson — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:18:26 GMT

Support for the T1000 box is being dropped, if you're under contract then I would expect BT to replace your box F.O.C.

When Freely is going to become available is anyone's guess but, if it helps, you might want to google 'Freevee' it's a free (ad supported) streaming service from Amazon

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

NigelB72 — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:18:52 GMT

If you have a retail Youview box, you'll no longer receive support once the Youviews retail platform ends. If you have your Youview box as part of a BT/EE TV subscription, support will continue through BT/EE.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

gspearson — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:24:08 GMT

Thanks, I've just found the other strand on here. We watch hardly any TV except recorded stuff so this is a snag. We are out of contract and there is a national absence of Free/View/Play boxes.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Les-Gibson — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:29:02 GMT

Whilst the axe is hovering over Freeview it's not going to fall anytime soon. See this link for an expected timeline

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

NigelB72 — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:33:58 GMT

@gspearson I suspect they're running down the retail Freeview boxes so they can start producing and rolling out Freely which seems to be an brand new OS which incorporates IP Delivery of Freeview and deeper integration of non subscription apps. No word on whether paid apps will make an appearance though as far as I'm aware..

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

gspearson — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 12:47:34 GMT

The rundown is my reading too. Argos has a box in stock in Oban - I'm in Edinburgh. Meanwhile I'm in the street that OpenReach forgot. 100 metres in any direction takes me to streets festooned with overhead OR fibre systems. While we wait, CityFibre has pushed fibre up the gardens of most of my neighbours homes - so tempting. But after 50 years with BT I can wait a little longer.

My YouView page is badged as BT even though I was out of a sub before I bought the Humax box. I guess that will end on 28 February. The TV has FreePlay - I might be able to attach a hardrive to it.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 13:01:50 GMT

@gspearson

Most TVs have some form of PVR functionality, but can only usually record 1 channel at a time.

The next available Freeview Play PVR is the Manhattan T4-R, which has been delayed twice already and is expected in March, but could be delayed again.

If you don’t want a new contract but like the general UX, there are many G4 YouView and Pro Boxes on eBay right now.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Midnight_Voice — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 13:09:12 GMT

@Les-Gibson

Freevee is just some ad-supported Amazon Prime stuff you can have without a subscription (and you still get the ads on Freevee stuff even if you have a Prime subscription!).

But it doesn’t provide any of our UK terrestrial channels, as Freely is going to 😢

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Midnight_Voice — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 13:19:09 GMT

@NigelB72

Sort of correct; but all YouView are actually stopping at the moment is support for the original black T1000 box (and probably the slightly later T1010).

YouView retail T2000 boxes continue to be supported, as do the BT Retail boxes, and even BT subscription boxes now being used outside of EE TV.

YouView or BT-supplied T1000s will stop working as internet boxes, even on an EE TV subscription - though they will continue as non-internet recording and playback boxes still capable of handling linear (broadcast live) terrestrial broadcasting.

But in the unlikely event someone is still running a T100, and only a T1000, on an EE TV subscription, EE will likely replace it for them.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

SoupDragon57 — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 13:23:43 GMT

@NigelB72 There was also an issue with the minimum spec for Freeview boxes. The mandatory spec meant full support for Freeview Play was required, so old models were discontinued and manufacturers were slow to bring out new kit, e.g. Manhatten.

There's no news on Freely set top boxes at this time, only TV sets. However, if this is intended to replace Freeview and Freesat, then an STB is inevitable... at some stage!

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 13:32:59 GMT

@SoupDragon57wrote:
There's no news on Freely set top boxes at this time, only TV sets. However, if this is intended to replace Freeview and Freesat, then an STB is inevitable... at some stage!

A STB yes, that has already been confirmed, but it isn’t clear if that actually means a PVR. I certainly wouldn’t be betting on one.

I think the era of recording via any platform, is coming to an end.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

SoupDragon57 — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 13:41:40 GMT

@Anonymous Thanks for that. Hadn't seen anything on STBs for Freely. Sadly, I fear you may be right about recording. The weirdest thing is that not everything that airs has something in catch-up. Some channels don't add the programme to catch up for days (Channel 4 with Car SOS). Real Shame... I'd rather be forced to watch the adverts than have no ability to record.

Not forgetting pause and rewind etc. All useful features.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Midnight_Voice — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 14:27:04 GMT

@gspearson

You have a black YouView T1000 box? You will still be able to watch TV on it, record and play back. The internet features will be gone, and the thumbnails will lose their images, but the text on them will remain.

You have a later YouView box, a T-2xxx or T-4000? This will be completely unaffected.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

gspearson — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 14:33:41 GMT

It's a T1010 - it is the guide I shall want - to be able to programme ahead. The TV does all the apps I need (actually there are none apart from Arte and YouTube).

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

Midnight_Voice — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 14:37:52 GMT

@gspearson

I think the T1010 is going the same way as the T1000, but the forward EPG comes from the broadcast system, so that should remain, and only the backwards part of the EPG will be lost.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

gspearson — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 14:46:08 GMT

I agree with that. However, I've taken your advice and bought a G4 on eBay to tide me through until teh new world arrives. The daft thing is that there is very little via the aerial that we watch: just BBC4 and Channel 4 - even so I have an outbreak of FOMO.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

gspearson — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 11:05:28 GMT

I've had the G4 box for a week - it is neat and works very well. However, the EE branding/EE version of the Freeview interface is very clunky (rows and rows of minipics) so I've reverted to my T1020. I'll wait until 28 Febraury and see what happens.

No doubt there are settings that will conceal much of the EE **bleep**.

What do people who do not use BT internet use?

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

gspearson — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 11:08:34 GMT

It's not often my language gets "bleeped"! Sorry.

Re: Freeview, Freeplay, Freely, YouView

zulu17 — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 14:16:01 GMT

Hi @gspearson it may have changed a bit over the years but in simple terms YouView provides home screens and apps and EPG branding and channel list based on the ISP. So if EE or BT ISP you get the EE colours and logos plus the EE TV app included in the featured and full app list. TalkTalk ISP used/May still get their branding/colours, Other ISPs you get a more neutral presentation minus the branding.

I suspect that when the T10xOs support is withdrawn they could opt to provide a home page minus the Apps so there would be no place to launch them from.